


Diplomacy

by the_song_you_gave_me



Series: Brick in the Wall [2]
Category: Alpha and Omega - Patricia Briggs, BRIGGS Patricia - Works, Mercy Thompson Series - Patricia Briggs
Genre: F/M, Gen, Picnics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-10 22:43:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15959120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_song_you_gave_me/pseuds/the_song_you_gave_me
Summary: Bran invites the Tri-Cities pack back into his domain, but is his guarantee of protection as sure-fire as they all want to believe?





	Diplomacy

**Author's Note:**

> And so, the drama starts slow… includes spoilers for Fire Touched and Silence Fallen.

The Marrok’s driveway was oddly free of excess cars, Mercy notes as they park. Usually pack members would be in and out of their Alpha’s house at all times. Instead, the air feels empty of noise or intrusion. She steps out of Adam's new SUV and waits for Darryl and Auriele before following Anna to the backyard.

Charles greets them first, if it can be called that. Bran’s half-Salish son, born werewolf and trained elite hitman stands in shadow near the side of the house, his usual public face a stony mask of intimidation through silence. Adam nods as they pass by, “Charles.”

“Adam.” Charles takes Anna’s arm as they continue into the yard.

Anna pats her mate’s arm lovingly. Mercy takes Adam’s hand and gives it a nervous squeeze.

In the middle of the backyard, the Marrok stands beside an octagonal picnic table, looking underwhelmingly young, plain, and nothing like the benevolent despotic ruler over all the werewolf packs in North America. That is, all the packs except for Adam’s own, for now. Leah, the Marrok’s mate, sits on a picnic table seat behind her husband, dressed to kill as a modern home-and-gardens fashion model from her blond hair to her long pale legs crossed and stretched casually to the grass. She wears a sour scowl on her face.

Anna leaves Charles behind and crosses between the two Alphas, taking a handful of mixed nuts from the bowls of snacks laid out on the table. She sits beside Leah and begins to munch. Bran smiles softly and speaks, “Welcome back, Adam, Mercy.”

The Marrok turns his attention slightly, “Darryl and Auriele, welcome to Aspen Creek.”

“Thank you, Bran.” Adam says kindly, unable to meet Bran’s eyes within the Marrok’s home turf.

Auriele turns to her mate, “ _That’s_ the Marrok? He’s visited Adam’s before and you never told me that’s who he was!”

Darryl shrugs, keeping his eyes on the grass until Bran’s gaze moves on.

“Auriele,” Bran speaks, and Auriele squeaks into frozen silence, “Since this is your first time here, Leah would be happy to give you a tour of the place. Darryl, you’re welcome to join them or not as you please.”

Leah scoffs as she stands, brushing her hand along Bran as her winningly best smile spreads across her face.

Anna glances from Bran to Charles as Leah moves to lead Auriele into the house. Charles carefully crosses behind his father, taking Leah’s place, putting himself between the Marrok and Anna.

Darryl looks between his need to follow his mate and his duty to stay by his Alpha’s side. “I’d… rather stay here for now sir,” he says.

Adam nods as Darryl slowly sits at the picnic table across from Charles. Mercy slides in on Anna’s other side, leading Adam to follow her as Bran takes a seat last. Silence spreads thickly between them as Anna offers a bowl of snacks to Mercy.

“Anybody want a peanut?” Mercy asks. Anna giggles. The men keep to their chilly standoff.

“No one? Okay then, your loss.” Mercy pops the peanut into her mouth as the air of testosterone thickens from the continued silence between the four dominant wolves. Only Darryl shows any sign of tension. Mercy meets Anna’s steady gaze, “Seriously, this is one of the reasons we don’t visit more often.”

Adam sighs, his shoulders dropping as he looks at his mate. _So much for diplomacy_ , he speaks to Mercy through their mating bond.

Bran tilts his head closer to Charles, “I told you it was too easy a bet.” The Marrok whispers not softly enough to keep any of the werewolves from hearing him.

Mercy narrows her gaze, “You had a bet going?” she asks Bran, “with _Charles_?”

Charles crosses his arms, a touch of his father’s original Welsh peppering his otherwise deadpan voice, “It’s part of my job to make good bets. Why do you think they leave the pack finances in my hands?” Anna breaks into snickers of quiet laughter, shaking her head. Neither Darryl nor Adam move under Charles’ gaze.

“There was no bet.” Bran assures Adam and Mercy as he leans back, glancing to his son again.

"We were just sure you'd break a silence first." Charles adds.

“No, that’s fine.” Mercy notes, “I’m still impressed Charles makes bets. I always thought Samuel was the one to start that sort of thing.”

“How is Samuel, by the way?” Adam asks, shifting back into a dignified ease. Bran’s oldest son had spent a while in Adam’s territory as a lone wolf.

Bran looks to the summer sky with a slow and peaceful smile, “I’m happy to say I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

Charles eyes his father briefly before answering for Adam, “Last time I checked, he and Ariana were in Barbados.” Bran’s younger son adds coolly, “That was two months ago.”

Mercy makes a face at the silence that follows. Crossing her arms, this time she waits for someone else to say something.

Bran smirks like a teenager and meets Adam’s eyes, holding them to his own. Mercy watches as Adam’s brown eyes transition to his wolf’s bright yellow.

The Marrok speaks, keeping the power of his authority out of his voice, “Now of course, your pack is welcome to come back into my protection whenever you want to make it official.”

Darryl shifts in his seat, tensing as Bran so casually brings up the day’s main topic.

Adam relaxes into a business-like diplomatic cool. “I thought your reason for letting us go still applied. Have the politics changed?”

“Our neutral position against the fae and the humans is still the same across all territories within the Marrok’s influence.” Charles opens, back to his usual stony-faced public expression. “It was Mercy’s declaration of authority over your territory which directly contradicted that policy of non-involvement and led to your subsequent removal from our pack.”

“But that was before the Master of Milan dared kidnap our coyote right from under your nose.” Bran grows quiet, tapping his fingers together as he looks to Adam. Bran’s soft voice hides the growing wave of anger he keeps at bay. Mercy figures anyone who knew him well enough could sense it though. Adam quickly looks away.

The Columbia Basin Alpha places his hands on the table, using as gentle a tone as he could, “If I remember correctly, Bran, you told us that since the vampires are not out to the public, they didn't fall under that neutrality doctrine. That’s why you were free to lend us your aid in Milan as a free agent, regardless of any official position.”

“Wait a second, Bran was with you in Milan?” Darryl asks from the side, impressed.

“He didn’t know it either until the end,” Bran smiles, turning his attention from Adam to Darryl.

“That said,” the Marrok continues, “If I’m going to extend my unofficial support to you against any big names in the supernatural community _stupid_ enough to endanger your mate anyway…” the Marrok turns briefly with a small grin to Mercy, who meets his gaze unflinching, “Perhaps making that relationship official once more will deter others from attempting the same.” The Marrok’s eyes gleam with a warning hint of caution.

Mercy remembers to duck her head, eventually. That was the smart and polite thing to do, as overbearing as Bran was being right now. The Marrok nods once, closing his warm hazel eyes, relaxing back in his seat.

Adam breathes out a sigh. “Won’t that just endanger the rest of the wolves to retaliation from the fae? I don’t need to come back under your wing if it’ll mean trouble for them.”

Bran sits perfectly still. Then his lip rises, “This isn’t a two-way discussion, pup. I’m telling you, not asking you to rejoin.”

Adam freezes, trying to keep the sudden edge out of his posture. Bran continues softly, “I’m perfectly capable of defending my wolves in addition to you and yours. That’s something you could not do on your own, I might add.”

Anna quickly stands, a sunny smile on her face as she slaps the table with both hands. “How about a hunt?” She asks the group before Adam thinks to rise from his seat and challenge the Marrok.

Anna meets Adam’s yellow wolf eyes, encouraging him to sit back down on the picnic bench a moment longer. Adam’s eyes slowly return to a lighter chocolate brown as she holds him in her firm stare. Happily, the Omega looks to Bran, whose warm hazel gaze remained as calm and collected as the fair skies above. The Marrok tilts his head to consider her words. Anna takes that as a sign to continue.

 “With a bit of cooperation, we might be able to bring down a buck or two to add to the feast Leah’s been preparing inside.” Anna pitches the idea to Bran exclusively, now ducking her chin with respect, though she alone does not have to.

Anna smiles cheerily, “Not to mention if we run ourselves ‘til we’re tired, the food will taste that much better.”

“It’s better to take our energy out on some poor defenseless animal than on each other, is that it?” The Marrok murmurs, looking up to Anna through his sandy-colored bangs.

Anna narrows her lips in a nervous expression, as Leah and Auriele wander out from the house to see what raised the tension between their mates.

 

After taking the time to change, they split up in the woods behind the Marrok’s house. Bran takes point as a lone scout, the tip of his white-dipped tail disappearing into the trees behind the rest of his otherwise subtly gray wolf. Adam follows Leah as her support, not wanting to leave the Marrok’s mate unchecked and able to ambush any of his own pack. The other three from the Tri-Cities watch as their bluish silver and black-footed Alpha follows the pale golden sunlight of Leah’s fur.

Charles and Anna stay with the other three, running in silent comradery. Mercy’s tiny coyote form keeps pace in the middle of their formation, ahead of Darryl and Auriele.

Soon, their other natures prove to show just how easy it can be to work in a team. Even with the 40-pound coyote thrown in the mix, the wolves spread out, following the scents of the forest to track down any game that comes their way.

Small animals, such as rabbits and squirrels are fair play to each individual. Though when they finally cross the scent of deer, it’s a matter of competent instincts taking the forefront for the day.

Adam and Leah come across one such track and quickly leave a trail for the others to follow. They lose themselves in the hunt, running with an eager pant, quickening their stride as they bound over the rocks and slopes of the summer Montana woods. Then the forest stills to a buzzing silence. The smell of ozone fills the air, and a deafening beam of _something_ brings their world to a stop.


End file.
